The Importance of a Shallow Bunker Stroke

The best players in the game employ an out to in swing path for their bunker shots. Much like Furyk’s “loopy” swing (but less dramatic) good bunker players swing out to in to attack the pall from an ideal angle. A normal swing path tends to produce an angle of attack that is too steep, and can result in either skulls, chunks and the occasional perfect shot. A shallower swing path will help produce a more consistent results from the sand… and ultimately this means you have a “go-to” swing to rely upon when on the beach. A shallower swing will take less sand, which create more backspin and control. Here’s how to do it:

Try this swing out in the practice bunker. Open your stance and the clubface as you would do normally for your sand setup. Now, swing back along your toe line, focusing on the path of the club on your backswing (your club should follow the path of the yellow arrow). At the top of your backswing, loop the club inside, closer to your body and swing down along your intended target line. You should here a thumping sound at impact, and your divot should be shallow and point towards your target. But more importantly the ball should fly out, on a blanket of sand, with some spin. With practice, you’ll notice, that with this technique, distance control and accuracy become a lot easier to control and predict.

Keeping the wedge face open throughout the swing keeps the club from digging in the bunker and therefore produces a shallow divot and a high shot that stops short on the green. The closer you hit behind the ball, the higher the shot and more spin. Hitting farther behind the ball produces less carry and more roll. Do not contact the ball with the club; the sand must do the work.